Being screwed by employer....

[garinda]

It sounds an awful place to work.

Since you are posting anonymously I'd name and shame the company.

Look for another employer, and again good luck.

[accymel]

Oh Northstar mmmmmmmmmmmm sounds familiar although unfortunately i cannot go into details for legal reasons as i have a private case thats going to court soon me versus bigwigs

If i was you i would seek legal advice as soon as poss within 3 years, unfortunately tis the only way to get employers to take their responsibility & it isn't a easy path to take & does take a year or 2 to fully sort out but if you certainly can get evidence ie medical records/hospital appnts - oh i so wish i had a union

Unfortunately if no one is prepared to do something to stop this then when northstar leaves someone else cops it seems that this employer thinks his staff will just put up with it & certainly if its the sort of job there is always a queue of prospective new employees to take the place then until brought to book they will continusly get way with it.

[lettie]

Some excellent advice here. I agree with Entwisi in that you must document everything and ask for a copy of your contract to check the finer details of shift patterns.

My brother in law endured a similar situation at work where he was literally hounded out. It took them several months to do it in which time he had an industrial accident. They managed to hound him out eventually but it cost them a lot (several thousand pounds plus private medical expenses). He has since started his own buisness and does very well. The company in question was Senator and it wouldn't surprise me if you worked there too...

[cashman]

youve got some cracking advice here northstar, and documentation is the KEY to any achievement, i would also ignore completely anyone who told me i wouldn,t touch unions with a bargepole! love em or not they are the people that know all the rules inside out. even if you aint a member of one theres many will give advice. its one of the most difficult tasks to stuff an employer so you need all the help you can get. but it CAN be done if you are in the right and CAN prove it. good luck mate.

[mickmc]

Originally Posted by accymel

I dont agree only employers themselves sh*te themselves about unions but they do get negotations between employee & employer to get to a right & fair solution usually much to the employers dismay.

I hope me dad notices this one heheheheehe he's best to explain it all

I missed this one our Mel !!!

I agree with the documenting of evidence and putting requests in writing. Also the guy who asked for time off because of babysitter problems is (like it or not) legally entitled to that time off, within reason !! - and is covered by the Employment Relations Act 1999 - link below.

http://www.dti.gov.uk/employment/emp...page19475.html

Different rules apply to small companies but in general the employer must consult before any changes to the contract including hours and shift patterns


As the senior union rep for 14 years at what used to be one of Hyndburns biggest employers and most will have had one of our greeting cards at sometime !! - I've gotta take issue over "Unions, don't touch em with a barge pole"

In all my time there (24 yrs) we never had one strike - - never saw my position as one to cause them either - things had to be talked through and a working compromise come to ! - if you strike everybody loses - you lose wages, the Company loses sales/orders, the Company's market will move to another supplier

And, if the end comes (as it did to us) - when the American owners decide they wanted only one production site in the UK, and the UK board who were based at the other site in Bradford decided to close us - then thats when paying your Union subs can show a return.

Ok - everybody is covered by Statutory Redundancy Pay and in the majority of cases thats all they get !! - the maximum you can get for 20 years service and over is 20 x your weeks wage up to a maximum £8,700

But if you have a strong and healthy union as we did - they can negotiate a better package - we had guys/gals there that had been there since leaving school at 15 - some with 40+ years service - we negotiated a deal that paid for every year of service not just 20 - and at a premium that gave most people 2-3 weeks wages for each and every year of service, -some of those older guy's, who had given their lives to that Company walked away with over £80,000 -

Now - tell me that Unions are a total waste of time !!!

[AccyJay]

Originally Posted by mickmc

Now - tell me that Unions are a total waste of time !!!

Most people who say that unions are a waste of time, have either never been in one or have only seen evidence of bad unions (sorry, can't think of a better way of putting this). i.e strikes. Having been a union rep in the past (5 yrs ago), i've saved numerous poeple from being dismissed. Some of those people are still with company. I don't think them or thier families think that unoins are a waste of time.

[accymel]

Originally Posted by mickmc

I missed this one our Mel !!!

I agree with the documenting of evidence and putting requests in writing. Also the guy who asked for time off because of babysitter problems is (like it or not) legally entitled to that time off, within reason !! - and is covered by the Employment Relations Act 1999 - link below.

http://www.dti.gov.uk/employment/emp...page19475.html

Different rules apply to small companies but in general the employer must consult before any changes to the contract including hours and shift patterns


As the senior union rep for 14 years at what used to be one of Hyndburns biggest employers and most will have had one of our greeting cards at sometime !! - I've gotta take issue over "Unions, don't touch em with a barge pole"

In all my time there (24 yrs) we never had one strike - - never saw my position as one to cause them either - things had to be talked through and a working compromise come to ! - if you strike everybody loses - you lose wages, the Company loses sales/orders, the Company's market will move to another supplier

And, if the end comes (as it did to us) - when the American owners decide they wanted only one production site in the UK, and the UK board who were based at the other site in Bradford decided to close us - then thats when paying your Union subs can show a return.

Ok - everybody is covered by Statutory Redundancy Pay and in the majority of cases thats all they get !! - the maximum you can get for 20 years service and over is 20 x your weeks wage up to a maximum £8,700

But if you have a strong and healthy union as we did - they can negotiate a better package - we had guys/gals there that had been there since leaving school at 15 - some with 40+ years service - we negotiated a deal that paid for every year of service not just 20 - and at a premium that gave most people 2-3 weeks wages for each and every year of service, -some of those older guy's, who had given their lives to that Company walked away with over £80,000 -

Now - tell me that Unions are a total waste of time !!!

Our Steven's just said how long has that taken you to do that with one finger typing ????? You must of been doing it all day LOL

Ps ........not taking the mick or anything heheheheehe

[cmonstanley]

unions arent a waste of time power to the people

[mickmc]

LOL - Steven - but my 2 finger typing is always eloquent and gets things done - how many letters have I done for him and always a result................. LOL

[chav1]

my experience of unions forced me to quit paying to them and i wouldnt bother with one again ever.

upon been called into the office i told the manager that i wanted a witness

i went off to get my witness but couldnt find my union rep anywhere

i returned to the office only to find my union rep was standing next to my manager as HIS witness

i put a complaint into teh union but was brushed off with a load of Bull Sh1t

as long as they get your money they couldnt give a toss and although they can give some good advice its nothing you cant get for free at ACAS or Citizens advice

[WillowTheWhisp]

I've seen good unions and I've seen bad unions so you can't tar them all with the same brush. I've seen pig headed union leaders go for all-out strikes when it was plainly a stupid move and I've seen factories closed down and people out of work due to union action not to mention the weeks and weeks without pay before that when they were on strike and the whole family suffering. I've also seen sensible union reps negotiate on behalf of the workers and due to their specialist knowledge offer a great deal of help and support. Sometimes just the moral support of having somebody there beside you can be a huge confidence booster when you feel like you are in a no-win situation.

How come your union rep was also your managers union rep Chav? You should have been able to have someone to independantly witness the proceedings, not a case of taking sides which defeats the object surely?

I would definitely consult your union if you have one NorthStar. Like others have said it doesn't make any difference to your individual case what has happened where other people are concerned. They will only look at how you personally have been treated and assess whether that is acceptable or not. From what you've been saying it certainly doesn't sound acceptable. I once worked with a manager who was a right little Hitler and seemed to enjoy making people's lives a misery but it was the school bully mentality. He only did it with new people who didn't stand up to him. One girl who wasn't having any of it simply turned round to him and said "Oh go an boil yer 'ead" and he never said another word to her!! Not that I'm suggesting you try that.

Good luck.

[KIPAX]

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp

I've seen good unions and I've seen bad unions so you can't tar them all with the same brush.

Yeagh your right and really that should be applied to just about everyhting and everyone.. gosh theres probbaly even a decent traffic warden out there

But....

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp

I've seen pig headed union leaders go for all-out strikes when it was plainly a stupid move and I've seen factories closed down and people out of work due to union action not to mention the weeks and weeks without pay before that when they were on strike and the whole family suffering.

I have seen more of that than anything else.. add to that the closed shop where you wernt allowed to even work somewhere unless you where in a union.. add to that the factories and thousands of men who stop work by coming out in sympathy strikes etc

all in all it leaves a bad taste in the mouth and I wasnt being sarcastic when I said maggie thatcher... she was the only person as far as I know in my lifetime to have stood up to them.. not only that.. she beat them... She is the only prime minister we have had (again in my lifetime) with balls... not like the weak so and so's we have leading us nowerdays..

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp

I've also seen sensible union reps negotiate on behalf of the workers and due to their specialist knowledge offer a great deal of help and support. Sometimes just the moral support of having somebody there beside you can be a huge confidence booster when you feel like you are in a no-win situation.

Thats fair enough and I daresay they have there day and are a help.. But I think they went a long way to ruining this country and we would have been better off without them.. so the bit of good they can do in no way makes up for the bad they have done in my opinion..

[accymel]

Originally Posted by KIPAX

Thats fair enough and I daresay they have there day and are a help.. But I think they went a long way to ruining this country and we would have been better off without them.. so the bit of good they can do in no way makes up for the bad they have done in my opinion..

Mmmmm really thing is with decline of unions like owt else theres always something that fills the void..........................like greedy solicitors firms seems the only way to stand up for employments rights these days, unfortunately they are dragged out over a long period of time till resolution even if case is staked against the employer & usually at the solicitors best interests not necessarily the claiments - they have now taken over the unions & money talks more than anything, least in majority of cases as i know with growing up with my dad being a union rep he got things resolved as quickly & fairly as possible, also the worrying thing is we all get a job at some point but how many people do actually know their employment rights & that of the employer????????

So without reliable near source advice unless cost of a sols many dont realise if there are problems that could of been highlighted till it becomes serious & some employers abuse that, personally thats where unions were good for. As such in life that some people get an inch & pull it a mile.

[chav1]

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp

How come your union rep was also your managers union rep Chav? You should have been able to have someone to independantly witness the proceedings, not a case of taking sides which defeats the object surely?.

he wasnt his union rep he was just there as his witness and from the amount of time they spent with each other chatting all the time also his friend.

when meetings were held teh union reps from other departments would ask questions and be totaly ignored , union people who who wanted to hand out membership forms were not allowed on teh property and had to stand outside on teh pavement and catch people as they left the carpark

although laws were brought in where companies can no longer refuse to recognise unions they still largely go ignored

teachers unions , doctors unions etc seem to get noticed but unions in factories etc arnt worth crap . if a company wants you gone they will sack you eventualy and management will stick like glue against you ive seen a few cases where people have been rail roaded out of a job and any that witness aginst the company receive a very hard time ( cleverly within the emplotee handbook) and either eventualy dismissed or never promoted or even demoted

[LancYorkYankee]

I have an admitted bias against Unions over here in the states. They can get really viscious (not a much any more). Remember as a kid my dad having to work through a large telephone company strike. He wasn't any kind of big wig just a first level supervisor.

Guys who crossed the picket lines were physically harmed, rocks thrown at them and their cars, sand put in gas tanks, ugly crank calls made, etc. I remember specifically answering the phone as a little kid and having a guy on the other end say "your daddy's dead if he keeps crossing the line!" My dad never missed a day (actually in 45 years) cause of it but we kids had a scary time seeing him go each day.

It was the last time we kids were allowed to answer the phone during that long strike.

Like all things Unions started with such noble and righteous reasons. As we know the workplaces in the late 1800's early 1900's were atrocious. Unfortunately, like most great ideas, power and money destroys and corrupts. Then the balance shifts and we're all back at square one. It's a cryin' shame (IMHO of course).

Brian